Hydrogen Turbine Fuel Assembly With Flame Shaping for Flashback Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Turbine engines using hydrogen fuel face challenges such as flashback, auto-ignition, and uncontrollable flame spread due to high burn temperature and velocity, leading to issues like flame expansion into the fuel nozzle or igniter, and increased NOx emissions.
Innovation Solution
A fuel supply assembly with inner and outer sets of flame shaping passages is designed to control the flame shape and temperature, ensuring stable combustion by containing the flame and maintaining it within the combustion chamber, using hydrogen fuel efficiently while minimizing NOx emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If hydrogen fuel is used in the combustor, then combustion efficiency and energy density are improved, but flashback and auto-ignition occur due to high burn temperature and velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection system is divided into multiple injectors positioned at different locations within the combustor. This segmentation allows controlled distribution of hydrogen fuel, preventing concentrated high-temperature zones that cause flashback and auto-ignition while maintaining combustion efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the combustor are provided with different fuel injection characteristics. The system uses varying injection rates, angles, and positions to create optimized local combustion zones that prevent flashback and auto-ignition while maintaining overall combustion efficiency.
2Use of energy by moving object
If hydrogen fuel is used, then energy density is increased, but flame spread becomes uncontrollable due to high burn velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection system employs dynamic control of injection timing and rate modulation. By varying the injection parameters in real-time, the system can control flame propagation speed while maintaining high energy density combustion.
Solution Approach 2:
Air injection passages are introduced as intermediaries between the fuel injectors and the combustion zone. These passages provide controlled air flow that moderates the high burn velocity of hydrogen, preventing uncontrollable flame spread while preserving energy density.
3Device complexity
If conventional fuel injection is used, then device complexity is low, but NOx emissions increase due to high temperature combustion
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel injection system is segmented into multiple injectors with independent control, allowing staged combustion that reduces peak temperatures and consequently lowers NOx emissions while managing the increased system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The injection system employs periodic or pulsed injection patterns rather than continuous injection. This periodic action allows controlled combustion cycles that reduce average temperature exposure, thereby reducing NOx formation while managing system complexity through rhythmic control mechanisms.
4Reliability
If flame shaping passages are added to control flame shape, then combustion stability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flame shaping passages are merged with the existing combustor structure rather than being separate add-on components. This integration approach provides flame control capability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity by utilizing available structural space and materials.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fuel supply assembly effectively prevents flashback and auto-ignition, stabilizes the flame, and reduces NOx emissions by controlling flame spread and temperature, enhancing the durability of turbine engine components.
Implementation Method 1
A fuel supply assembly with inner and outer sets of flame shaping passages is designed to control the flame shape and temperature, ensuring stable combustion by containing the flame and maintaining it within the combustion chamber
Implementation Method 2
The fuel supply assembly effectively prevents flashback and auto-ignition, stabilizes the flame, and reduces NOx emissions by controlling flame spread and temperature
Implementation Method 3
The fuel supply assembly effectively prevents flashback and auto-ignition, stabilizes the flame, and reduces NOx emissions by controlling flame spread and temperature
Implementation Method 4
The fuel supply assembly effectively prevents flashback and auto-ignition, stabilizes the flame, and reduces NOx emissions by controlling flame spread and temperature
Data Source
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AI summary
A turbine engine (10) has a compressor section (12), a combustion section (14), and a turbine section (16) in serial flow arrangement. The combustion section (14) has a combustor liner (42) and dome wall (48, 148, 248, 348) collectively forming at least a portion of a combustion chamber (50, 150, 250, 350). The dome wall (48, 148, 248, 348) has an opening (74, 174, 274, 374). The combustion section has a fuel supply assembly (32, 132, 232, 332, 432, 532) extending through the opening (74, 174, 274, 374). The fuel supply assembly (32, 132, 232, 332, 432, 532) includes a fuel nozzle (34, 134), a series of air injectors (38, 138) and an inner set (178a, 278a, 378a) and an outer set (178b, 278b, 378b) of flame shaping passages.